


The course of love never did run so smooth

by Book_goddessforlife98



Series: Complete Collection of Shadowgast [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, minor widofjord
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-12-24 00:16:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21090200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_goddessforlife98/pseuds/Book_goddessforlife98
Summary: Notes: when Caleb is speaking in italics with the quotation marks it’s zemnianTrigger warning for fantasy racism





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: when Caleb is speaking in italics with the quotation marks it’s zemnian  
Trigger warning for fantasy racism

Caleb paced the cell as much as his chains would let him. He hated the dark, he also hated waiting. Not knowing what his punishment would be for being a traitor. Sure he had committed war crimes. So had his other siblings. Hell father had encouraged it, letting the dynasty know that the empire would not fall. But then Caleb had been freed of his bounds. And he and his group of friends had actively tried to stop the war. To make things better, to try and undo the damage Caleb had done. He held the symbol of the Wildmother in his hand. Thankful they had not seen it, if they knew he now worshiped an unapproved goddess he would be in trouble. Caleb tucked the pendant safely down his shirt The door opened and two kings guard walked in followed by the king himself.

“What to do with you,” he said. “I cant execute you. The people have fallen in love with you and your little band of miscreants. Killing the lot would only cause chaos,” he said. His finger hooked underneath the chain and he brought it up bring the holy symbol with it. The king gripped the symbol of the Wildmother and pulled it breaking the chain and looked at it. 

“Hmmm,” he said “what’s this? You worship an unapproved goddess?” He tsked “oh my son what did those people do to you?”

”they freed me,” 

“I could execute them privately, you spin the tail of them leaving somewhere else far from here,” he said. 

”no. They live and I swear my Loyalty back to you,” he said “but you leave them alone,” he said. They where his family now and he would do what ever it took to protect them. 

“now we are getting somewhere,” he said smiling. “You will be punished for this,” he said holding up the holy symbol. “And then you will swear your loyalty back to me,” he said. “And I let your friends live. But they remain prisoners here,” he said. “Servants to your siblings,” he said. Caleb wasn’t really in any place to negotiate. He only had so much leverage.

”no,” Caleb said. “You let them go,”

“No,” he said striking Caleb across the face. “They will keep you in check,” he said. “And there is one more thing you will do for me,”

Caleb spat out blood. 

“Since you are so insistent on defiling yourself with something less then human, as part of the treaty between us and the dynasty you will be the one to marry the crick prince,” he said. “Do not think I don’t know about you and that monster,” he said “at least this time it will benefit me,”

”_there is only one monster I see,”_

He smacked him again. Grabbing him by the hair. ”Do not disrespect me again boy! I made you who you are,” he left the room leaving Caleb alone in the dark.

_Caleb are you alright?_ Nott’s voice echoed in Caleb’s head. It was a comfort to hear from her. 

_I am fine Liebling   
_

_are you sure?_

_how are the others?_

_fine, all a little worse for wear_

_I am getting married to a Kryn prince _

_what?_

_I have no choice. It was that or your lives_

_is there more?_

_I have to publicly swear loyalty back to my father. I will most likely be publicly punished for worshipping the Wildmother._

_you can’t_

_he will kill you all if I don’t. I can’t lose you guys. You are my family  
_

__________

Caleb is led out of his cell, the guards led him to the temple of the Lawbearer. The main goddess they worshipped in Rexxentum. He is forced onto his hands and knees. Before the king and the high priest. A crowd has gathered, its been a long time since someone was publicly punished for breaking the religious laws. They out more effort into it, more of a show because he is a prince. Because people look up to him. They will tear him down as a message to the people that not even their “hero” is safe from punishment. 

The ground is soaked in Caleb’s blood. The whip cracks again before tearing into him again and ripping the flesh off his back. Where his blood falls and were it has pooled around him wildflowers sprout, the same ones Caleb had seen adorn the Wildmother’s hair and gown when she had healed him during his first encounter with her. The guards dragged him back to the palace and had the healers patch him up. Healing him enough that he wouldn’t die. And that that wounds wouldn’t be infected. But he was still sore and there had been scars left behind. He is kept locked up in his room, until the wedding ceremony.


	2. Chapter 2

Caleb stands before the alter with Prince Essek Theyless. Essek had convinced Trent to let rest of the mighty nein come with them to Xhorhas in the dynasty. They wouldn’t bother him there he said. And he wanted a few more people from the Empire to live there. Surprisingly he had agreed to it. The ceremony was long and dull. Caleb did everything perfectly afraid of what would happen should he mess up. People whisper during the feast. Poor prince they say. Married off to a crick. Better then that half breed, they add. Caleb is sitting with Essek when Jester came bounding up grabbing their hands.

”come dance with me!” She said pulling them up. Caleb no matter how many times she had done this always surprised him with her strength. Essek was surprised that the tiefling was this strong. She led them to the dance floor. And they danced together in a little circle. Others joined them, mostly the young children. It had to be the best part of this wedding. 

Once the fest was over caleb and Essek went back to their chambers. Caleb knew what was suppose to happen now. Essek closed and locked the door behind him. Caleb flinched when he heard the door lock. 

”if it is alright with you husband,” he said “I would rather we wait on sex,” he said. “It’s just we hardly know each other and my people view it as a sacred act,” he said. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. 

”I understand perfectly,” Caleb said relieved. 

”I do wish to get to know you better though,” he said. ”And know you and your friends are free to worship whoever you choose,” Caleb turned to face him. 

”you know?”

”yes I sent some one ahead to gather information about who I was marrying,” he said. Walking over to him. ”you and your friends have done good. In spite of all the harm you have caused,” 

“I am trying to do better now,” Caleb said. ”so you want to get to know me. Then ask whatever you want and I will answer truthfully,” 

“you and the half-orc were you two together?”

”no,” he said. “We weren’t. We are close, but not like that,” Caleb said. “We were getting to that point though,” 

“I see,”

”but now that we are married...I won’t cheat on you,” he said. “He helped me return to myself,” 

“how?”

”I ummm well I was not completely myself for a few years. They went after me, trapped me and he healed what had been done to me. The Wildmother had healed me,”

”that’s why you worship her?”

”yes,” he said. “And why I have tried to undo what I’ve done,” he said. “Fire is destructive,”

”but it’s also helpful,” Essek said he took off his shirt. “I have a secret,” he said. “My legs don’t work right,” he said. “I tend to float because I can’t stand very long,” he said “I’m going To be honest that was boring,” he said 

“Smaller weddings have more fun traditions,” he said. “There is a village in the zemni fields where everyone dances in a big circle with arms linked. There’s a lot of music,” he said. “And a lot of flowers involved. They will hoist the married couple into the air and throw them into the lake,” 

“Why?”

”my mother never explained why,”

”your mother came from there?”

”yes,” he said. “I’m not born royalty,” he said. “In fact this marriage it’s part of my punishment,”

“at least we get to leave tomorrow and I happen to have a very huge collection of books,”

”you do?”

”yes,” he said. 

”thank you again for also getting my friends to be able to come with us,” he said 

“I figured you would be unhappy alone in a new place. And you’re all regarded as somewhat heroes. I can’t let them die,”

”I fear he would have had them all executed once I was gone,” he said. 

”yes. Now may I take a look at your back? I believe I can help ease the pain,” he said. Caleb sat next to him. He took off the jacket then the shirt. Essek looked at the angry lash marks. He took the pain away. “Does that feel better?”

”Danke” he said “it feels much better,”

”you are alright if we share a bed?”

”we are married, it’s fine with me. Do you need help?”

”yes.” He said. Caleb helps him to the bed, he pulls on a shirt and gets in next to him. They talk more before Caleb drifts of to sleep. Essek watches him sleep for a bit. An orange tabby that Essek recognizes as a familiar jumps up the bed, a little mmmrrr as he lands on then soft cushions. He walks in between the two. Curling against Caleb. 

”why hello kitty,” Essek says. Letting him sniff him before he steps to pet the cat. The cat lets him purring loudly. Essek himself starts to also drift off to sleep. And he does eventually fall asleep. 


End file.
